Wooden plane wedge completely stuck

[Adam Stevens2]

I have a dado plane that's been sitting in my tool chest for a while now because the wedge has gotten itself completely wedged. I've tried knocking the blade through, and it's still stuck. I've stood around for minutes at a time banging on the heel to see if that would help, to no avail. Any other tricks I can try out? I'd like to be able to use it at some point.

[Frederick Skelly]

Try clamping the wedge in your bench vise and carefully tapping on the plane body, near where the wedge is inserted into the mortise. I don't like doing this, but I have done it successfully when nothing else would work. Be really careful because you can break the wedge off.

With luck one of our "wise men" can offer a better idea and we'll both get to learn something.

Good luck!
Fred

[Matt Knights]

What Fred said, just be really careful.

Matt

[Luke Dupont]

Try alternating: Tap the top of the front of the plane, as well as the heel. Tap the heel both from the top, and the end. If there is a lip on the wedge, you can also tap it directly. Working it in this way will help to dislodge it. I found that I had to be rather bold and use a good bit of force to dislodge the wedge from one of the vintage wooden planes that I acquired. Of course, you do run the risk of splitting the plane if you use forceful blows on the rear (endgrain), so you may want to focus heavier blows on the top.

I kind of wonder if humidity may have expanded the wood and caused this. Maybe store it indoors where the humidity is lower, if it's not already?

[Stanley Covington]

In my experience, what most often often causes this problem is the plane's body shrinking over time and exposure to low indoor humidity (central heating in the winter and AC in the summer), trapping the wedge in place. The wedge being made of different wood, does not shrink as much as the body. Old planes back in the day were seldom subjected to such low humidity for such extended periods of time as in our time.

Try keeping it in the shower for a week or so, but not exposed to direct water spray, of course.

Stan

[Luke Dupont]

In my experience, what most often often causes this problem is the plane's body shrinking over time and exposure to low indoor humidity (central heating in the winter and AC in the summer), trapping the wedge in place. The wedge being made of different wood, does not shrink as much as the body. Old planes back in the day were seldom subjected to such low humidity for such extended periods of time as in our time.

Try keeping it in the shower for a week or so, but not exposed to direct water spray, of course.

Stan

Ah, that would make sense given the orientation of the grain. I had it backwards, I guess.

[Stew Hagerty]

If you have some Camelia oil, try spritzing some of that down the sides of the wedge. It's just a liquid wax, so it's not going to hurt anything, but it might provide just enough lubrication to help it pop free.

[Jim Koepke]

My best advice would be to learn how to make replacement wedges.

I have been a bit under the weather of late.

Making a wedge might be just the thing for me to lift my spirits and add to the thread on molding planes.

jtk

[Steve Voigt]

I just want to clear up a couple misconceptions in this thread. The OP specified a dado plane, presumably a traditional western version. The wedge is very unlikely to be made of a different wood than the body; they are almost certainly both beech. The grain orientation on body and wedge are the same (whereas on a typical 18th/19th c. bench plane the grain orientation is opposed). So, changes in humidity are not likely to have a big effect.

For the OP, I would go with Fred's suggestion--grab the wedge in a vise and hit the plane, alternating front and back. If you have a small mechanic's or machinist's vise, that would be best, since it will allow you a clear shot with the mallet (just pad the jaws with some scraps of cardboard or wood.

[Jim Koepke]

I just want to clear up a couple misconceptions in this thread. The OP specified a dado plane, presumably a traditional western version. The wedge is very unlikely to be made of a different wood than the body; they are almost certainly both beech. The grain orientation on body and wedge are the same (whereas on a typical 18th/19th c. bench plane the grain orientation is opposed). So, changes in humidity are not likely to have a big effect.

Good point Steve, it is always helpful to have someone with a bit more knowledge on how things were put together step forward with added insight.

There are many unfathomable possibilities with this situation. We do not have a picture to know if the wedge is original to the plane.

We do not know if someone may have caused the wedge to become stuck when they applied a clear coat.

Someone may have given the plane and the wedge a coat of BLO.

The folks above who mentioned securing the wedge and tapping on the plane body would be one of my ways of doing this. My first start is to hold the wedge securely with the plane a few inches above my bench as it is rapped sharply with a small mallet against the heel. There is another method others use by holding the wedge and rapping on the top of the plane's toe. Try 'em all, the go fast.

I hesitate to mention driving the wedge out from the bottom since it could damage the plane if it isn't done very carefully. If things are glued or stuck because the wedge was installed while the clear coat was still wet it could cause damage even if done carefully.

What ever the case, it is very likely the wedge will need to be 'tuned up' to put the plane back in service.

Thus my earlier suggestion of learning to make a wedge.

jtk

[Adam Stevens2]

The wedge is almost certainly original, just based on how it looks with the plane. No finish or glue has been applied. I think I may have just given it one too many taps at some stage, didn't use it for a while, and then came back to it later to try and sharpen the blade and couldn't get it out.

I think I'll give the consensus a go tomorrow and hope for the best.